Aaron Hernandez had reportedly planned suicide for weeks

Aaron Hernandez’s decision to take his own life came as a shock to many, in large part because the suicide came just days after the former NFL star was acquitted of a 2012 double murder. According to one report, Hernandez’s victory in that trial may not have been relevant.

The Daily Mail is reporting that there were several signs indicating Hernandez had been planning to kill himself for weeks. Sources told the publication that the ex-New England Patriot had given away most of his personal belongings to fellow inmates. He also supposedly covered the floor of his jail cell in soap so he would not be able to save himself if he had second thoughts after hanging himself with a bed sheet.

Because of a legal principle in Massachusetts called “abatement ab initio,” Hernandez may end up dying an innocent man in the eyes of the law. That could help him protect his estate against legal action, which is one theory about why he may have committed suicide. You can read more about that theory here.